


A Temple To Our Love

by wildeisms



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Klaus Hargreeves has ADHD, M/M, Slice of Life, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29197581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildeisms/pseuds/wildeisms
Summary: Klaus surveyed the kitchen. His kitchen, in his home, where he was cooking pasta sauce on his stovetop. It was a little messy thanks to his attempts at cooking, but it was still his. It felt almost as if he was dreaming, or in some strange parallel world. This was the sort of life that normal people got to have. It was the sort of life some of his siblings had openly wanted and sought out in varying degrees, but he never thought he would. Not until he met Dave. Love was weird like that.A snapshot from an evening in the Hargreeves-Katz household.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 24
Kudos: 44
Collections: EnKlave Fest 2021





	A Temple To Our Love

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this fic was 'fluffy domestic activities' and I am always here for that content.

Klaus had never been much of a cook, although in fairness to him, it wasn’t like he’d had a lot of opportunities to learn. Domestic skills were never a part of their Academy training, and even on those few occasions since then he’d had access to a kitchen, cooking had always been the furthest thing from his mind. In those days, if he ate anything at all, that was an achievement. 

But now, with a boyfriend and a house, things were different. He wanted to be able to cook for Dave in their shared kitchen, to prepare breakfasts in the morning and dinners in the evenings. Dave gave him so much, did so much for him, and made him want to be better. So however much Klaus lacked in skill and experience, he made up for in determination. Cooking was a strange experiment, but nowhere near the strangest thing he’d done or would do for love. And with his music blasting, it was actually pretty fun. 

“Yesterday I heard you say, your lust for life has gone away! It got me thinking, I think I feel a similar way, and that's sad (that’s sad) - that’s sad!” Klaus sang as he stirred the sauce on the stovetop in time with the song, dancing in place. He’d always loved dancing, losing himself in music without caring how ridiculous he might or might not look. And when the perfect upbeat song came on, he just couldn’t resist. 

“So let's make a decision, start a new religion, yeah, we're gonna build a temple to our love.” Eyes closing, Klaus let the music flow through him as his free hand fluttered through the air, his whole body steadily getting more and more caught up in the fun. “Orgiastic dances, nymphs in trances, yeah, we'll be the envy of the Gods above!”

The wooden spoon he had previously been using to stir the pot serving as his makeshift microphone, Klaus put his all into his performance, each new line presented with even more dramatic flair. “I'm feeling devious! You're looking glamorous! Let’s get mischievous! And polyamorous!”

Sauce forgotten, Klaus lost himself in dancing freely, hands and feet and body all finding their own joy in movement. “Wine and women and wonderful vices!” He twirled and struck a pose. “Welcome to the cult of Dionysus!” 

“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” Dave said with an amused smile. He was leaning against the doorframe, watching Klaus with a fondness that Klaus still couldn’t quite believe was real. He didn’t know how long Dave had been standing there and while part of him felt a touch of self-consciousness at having been observed, it was  _ Dave _ . He saw more of Klaus than anyone else had ever or would ever see. Plus they both loved dancing, even if they didn’t always do it conventionally ‘well’.

“If I’d known you were watching me, I might’ve put on more of a show,” he teased as he crossed the room to give his boyfriend a kiss, the wooden spoon abandoned on the counter.

Dave laughed. “You were  _ perfect _ ,” he said as his hands found their home on Klaus’s hips. 

“You didn’t wanna come dance with me, though?” he asked with a mock pout, his arms draped over Dave’s shoulders as if they were dancing together.

“I’m sore as hell right now. I think if I tried to dance, I might just collapse.”

“Hard workout?”

“Mmhmm. Diego made it a little competitive, and you know I wasn’t gonna back down from that.”

Klaus laughed and pressed another quick kiss to Dave’s lips. “You’re such a  _ man _ ,” he teased. “Did you win?”

“Almost, but I think he cheated. You’re all superhuman. If I had Hargreeves strength and stamina, I’d’ve smoked him.”

“I’m not sure that counts as cheating.”

“Trust me, it totally does.”

Klaus laughed and gave Dave yet another kiss. He had a long history with addiction and he felt pretty qualified to say that kissing Dave was absolutely addictive. It just felt so good, so right, and every time he was swept up by just how in love he was, he couldn’t resist. And that was very, very often.

His lips were so soft, his body so warm and firm, and even the smell of his sweat was strangely enticing. 

Dave hummed contentedly, smiling into the kiss. “Were you making dinner during your little dance party there?”

“Figured I’d have a go playing housewife. You must be so worn out…” He ran a hand over Dave’s chest, the material of his tank top clinging to every muscle like a second skin, and looked away coquettishly. Playing housewife in another way entirely sounded like a very good idea, now he thought about it. 

“You’re just a dream, you know that? I don’t know how I got this lucky…” Dave sighed as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind Klaus’s ear. His hand stayed resting on Klaus’s cheek, gentle and warm and wonderful, and Klaus leant into his touch. 

“Pretty sure I’m the lucky one.” It was still unbelievable sometimes that this was his life, that he got to be with Dave. But he was there and he was  _ real _ , unquestionably alive, and so incredibly beautiful. “You’re goddamn  _ gorgeous _ .”

Dave laughed. “Right now, I’m more gross than gorgeous.” As if he could ever be gross. Or rather, as if any level of gross would cancel out just how gorgeous he was. As if Klaus wasn’t used to finding beauty in the things and people and places most people disregarded as disgusting. But even sweaty and exhausted, Dave was stunning. Even first thing in the morning when his breath smelled awful, even when he wore ugly shirts that were quite frankly a crime against fashion, and even when he burped his way through a giant cup of soda, he was stunning. But the post-workout Dave wasn’t just stunning despite his apparent flaws, he was somehow stunning because of them.

“I don’t know, you’re pretty sexy when you come home in those tight clothes, all sweaty and worn out…” Klaus murmured, moving his hand downwards, over Dave’s torso, his hip, coming to rest on his ass. If he were a sculptor, there was a very real chance he would be able to create a perfect replica of Dave from memory alone, his fingers were so well-acquainted with every inch of him.

“Oh?” Dave said, the smile on his face turning a shade darker as he moved his hand to the back of Klaus’s neck. He kissed him again and nipped at Klaus’s lower lip, and Klaus let out a low, contented hum. Introducing Dave to the joys of biting had been one of the best decisions he had ever made. He had thrown himself into anything and everything Klaus had suggested with an eagerness and interest, but the little nips - not just to his lips but to any part of Klaus’s flesh - had been one of the most quickly adopted, 

“Mm-hmm. Very sexy, actually,” Klaus corrected himself, grinning wickedly as he brought his hand up again, rubbing Dave’s back and pressing his body against Dave’s front, as if he could physically surround him with the love and desire he felt. 

He kissed him again, then kissed his way across Dave’s jaw, that perfect jawline, and down onto his neck. It had been a while since he’d left a good mark on Dave’s neck, and while he had the remnants of a hickey still just about visible when he wore a shirt with a low enough neckline, it was surely time to return the favour. Dave moaned, tilting his head back to allow Klaus better access, and gripped him by the hips, holding him close. 

“I still need a shower,” Dave murmured, but he made no move to pull away. 

“And I need to finish making your dinner, but this is  _ so _ much more fun. Screw dinner.”

Dave laughed softly. “You’d make a terrible housewife.”

“Hey, I’d make a great housewife. Looking cute and taking dick are the most important parts, and I’ve got those  _ down _ ,” Klaus said with a wicked grin. Sure, the whole homekeeping thing also needed doing, but he was working on that. Those were the boring parts, though. Looking and being sexy was much more fun. Maybe next time he could dress up for the occasion and let Dave lift up his skirt and fuck him over the kitchen counter. Or maybe he should do it in an apron and nothing else, like some kind of saucy postcard girl. 

“You sure do,” Dave agreed. He gave Klaus’s ass a quick squeeze and his lips a soft kiss before pulling away. “Gimme five minutes to freshen up and I’ll be all yours, okay?” he promised, and Klaus let him go, even if he did let his touch linger a little longer than was strictly necessary. 

“I’ll wait ‘til you’re done to put the pasta on.”

“Remember to add the water this time, okay?” Dave teased as he headed for the hallway.

“Oh come on, that was one time!” Klaus groaned, but there was no real upset in his voice. 

“Yeah, but I  _ really _ don’t wanna have to fix up the kitchen again. And I especially don’t wanna have to apologise to our neighbours for us setting off the smoke alarms  _ again _ .”

Klaus still wasn’t used to having neighbours you’d apologise to in any capacity. Even as a kid and in those instances where he’d had temporary homes, it was understood that you minded your own business. Everyone was breaking some kind of laws, and the less you knew, the better. But Dave, ever the sweetheart, had made nice with the neighbours within the first week of moving in, essentially forcing Klaus to do the same. Not that he minded too much, though. It still felt like playing a game of pretend and he knew full well that most of the neighbours thought he was weird at best, but it was still by far the best living situation he’d ever had. 

Klaus surveyed the kitchen. His kitchen, in his home, where he was cooking pasta sauce on his stovetop. It was a little messy thanks to his attempts at cooking, but it was still his. It felt almost as if he was dreaming, or in some strange parallel world. This was the sort of life that normal people got to have. It was the sort of life some of his siblings had openly wanted and sought out in varying degrees, but he never thought he would. Not until he met Dave. Love was weird like that. 

He turned the stove heat right down, hot enough to keep the sauce warm without overcooking it. He stirred it and swayed to the new song they had started playing, then threw in a little more oregano and chilli powder for good measure. He would perhaps put in more if it was just for him, but Dave wasn’t quite as fond of strong spice as he was. It made more sense, Klaus supposed, but he had always liked intensity and sensation. 

A glass of wine seemed like the sort of thing he should be offering Dave with a home-cooked meal, an integral part of that domestic fantasy. But Dave didn’t want him to buy alcohol, even when he promised not to drink it all - or even any of it - himself. They both knew he couldn’t guarantee he’d keep that promise. He wished he could be normal, that he could have one or two glasses with dinner and know he’d be able to leave it at that. But one or two glasses became one or two bottles at the first wobble in his mental stability, and not just with dinner. He wanted to say that he could cope with Dave drinking around him and not touch a drop himself, but whether that was true or not varied day to day. As humiliating as it was, he couldn’t be trusted consistently enough to buy wine for his boyfriend. So Klaus poured out two glasses of peach iced tea into their wine glasses, and carried them through to the sitting room. 

Just as he was putting them down on the dining table, he heard the door squeak behind him, looked over, and was hit all over again by just how gorgeous Dave really was. Dave in spandex was sexy, but Dave in comfy clothes was just breathtakingly adorable. Comfy, loose pyjama pants and a t-shirt with a lovely deep V that showed off the freshly forming hickey, his hair starting to curl again as it dried. His hair was so beautiful at this length.  _ He _ was so beautiful. Dave stretched, exposing the tiniest hint of a belly he’d developed recently. Klaus loved that belly. He loved every bit of Dave. 

“What?” Dave asked with a slight smile as he crossed the room and sat back on the couch. 

“Just… You’re really cute, you know that?”

Dave’s smile widened, and Klaus couldn’t help mirroring it. He had such a beautiful smile, and seeing him looking so content still seemed almost too good to be true. They were safe here, they were comfortable here. “Come sit with me for a minute, baby.”

Klaus didn’t need to be asked twice. And he didn’t need to be invited to bring his legs up onto the couch and lean into Dave’s side like he belonged there. The feeling of rightness was still novel to him, but being there, being in Dave’s arms, it felt  _ right _ . “How was your day, hmm?” Dave asked, his arm around Klaus’s shoulders

“Oh, you know, not bad. Did my nails, got groceries, spent a little time painting…” Klaus listed, waving his hand airily.

“What’re you painting right now?”

“Ghost nannies.”

“Ghost nannies?” Dave repeated, an eyebrow slightly raised. He was always so good about these things. There was a hint of surprise, but never outright shock or disgust. He never made Klaus feel insane or broken or freakish, no matter how fucked up his life had been. He made him feel like he could talk about anything he wanted to, and omit any details he didn’t feel like sharing. There was an understanding between them that life hadn’t always been kind, particularly when it came to Klaus, and that was all they needed.

“Yeah. When I was a kid, I used to see these dead ladies all round the house. Scared the bejeezus outta me back then.”

Dave winced sympathetically. “How old were you?”

“Oh, I was tiny. They were there since before I can remember. But that’s what happens when you’ve got a buncha powerful toddlers who can’t control themselves yet, I guess.” He had figured that it was Luther and Ben who had killed them for most of his life. That had made the most sense, the mixture of uncontrolled strength and horrors from another dimension were easily fatal when controlled - or not controlled - by children too young to know what they were doing, but apparently little Vanya had also done in a fair few nannies before they’d got their Mom. Go figure. The dearly departed had usually been too freaked out by the whole ordeal to even try and talk to him or tell him what had happened, as if he had been dangerous too. One of them had even started screaming every time he got too close, as if he could kill her all over again. In retrospect, that was probably one of the many, many items on the list of reasons he was so fucked up.

The fact that Dave stayed, that he still accepted Klaus and all of his equally fucked up siblings even after knowing so much about his family, was more of a miracle and a gift than any of their powers ever could be. “I hadn’t thought about ‘em for a while, but I had this weird dream the other night and I figured they needed painting.”

“When you’re done, can I see it?”

“If you want. But some of them are pretty, you know, bleugh.” He pulled a face and waved a hand in a vague expression of ‘almost inhumanly gory apparitions, ripped apart by an eldritch abomination from another dimension, the kind that would disturb even adults, let alone poor, frightened children who are too traumatised to know what it feels like to truly be safe and who think that this type of horror is normal’. 

“I love all your paintings, baby. Even the bleugh looking ones.”

Klaus laughed and pecked Dave’s lips in a brief kiss. “Thanks, Davey. But what about you, hmm? What did you do, besides whatever sexy macho gym stuff you got up to?”

Dave shook his head fondly. “I swear you have some kinda workout kink.”

“It’s not a  _ kink _ . Physical exertion plus tight clothing plus a very beautiful man showing off how strong and capable he is is just  _ hot _ .”

“Uh-huh,” Dave hummed with a teasing smile and Klaus shoved him playfully.

“It is! You like staring at me while I do yoga.” Not that Klaus minded, of course. Although it was a little hard to concentrate or enter any type of meditative state if Dave decided he wanted to watch. Klaus had never been able to resist putting on a show, and with such an attentive and appreciative audience, who could blame him for showing off and performing for his boyfriend?

“That’s different, though.”

“Oh, yeah? How?”

“You’re basically naked when you do it, and you’re  _ flexible _ ,” Dave said with exaggerated flirtatiousness, and Klaus laughed. He wasn’t wrong with either of those points, but it didn’t change anything. “It’s pretty goddamn sexy.”

With a grin, Klaus turned and shifted to sit across Dave’s lap, his knees either side of Dave’s hips. “Oh? Tell me more about how sexy I am.”

It was a testament to Klaus’s physically affectionate nature and high sex drive that Dave barely seemed surprised by being abruptly straddled. His hands found their place on Klaus’s hips like they belonged there. “You’re  _ so  _ sexy, baby. You could make anything hot, but especially something that shows off how goddamn perfect your body is. All perfect skin and slender, toned muscles like some kinda dancer… And when you reach that whole zen thing, you get this look on your face, and you’re  _ beautiful _ .”

Klaus positively glowed under the praise and caught Dave’s lips in a quick, messy kiss. He was pretty sure Dave could make him feel sexy no matter how he looked, yet never once reducing him to just a piece of ass. Never once reducing him to anything. 

Dave’s hands moved up under Klaus’s shirt, caressing with an equal amount of firmness and tenderness. “See, this is what I’m saying.  _ Really _ sexy.”

“You flirt,” Klaus teased, grinning. There was no point in even pretending he didn’t love it.

“Oh, you know it. Just for you, though.”

Just for him. He still couldn’t quite believe that sometimes. Even after signing the paperwork to purchase their house together, the little voice of self-doubt that plagued him in his most vulnerable moments still had him wondering when Dave would leave. It’s bound to happen eventually, the voice said. No one can stand you for long. But with the way Dave kissed him and held him and made him feel like he was worth something, that voice was getting weaker and quieter. His confidence didn’t feel quite so much like a performance anymore. 

It was different, but it was a good kind of different. 

Klaus leant down and caught Dave’s lips in a kiss that said everything he couldn’t. Dave’s hand came to rest on his jaw in that sweet gesture that always made Klaus feel like he was something precious. 

When they broke apart, Dave had such a beautiful smile on his face that Klaus practically melted. Then his stomach rumbled and Klaus giggled. “Hungry?”

“Mm-hmm. You need a hand in the kitchen?”

“I should be good. It’s pretty much all done.” The mess he’d left in the kitchen was another matter, but he was determined to handle it himself for Dave’s sake. Especially if Dave was still sore from working out. He’d handle what Dave had affectionately dubbed ‘Hurricane Klaus’ himself after they ate. 

(He really did try not to make such a mess, but it just seemed to  _ happen _ . Their house could be pristine and in less than twenty four hours, Klaus would have managed to create chaos out of thin air like the world’s worst magician, and so help him if he tried to make any kind of food. It felt as though a bowl of cereal could somehow end up with the kitchen looking destroyed, and he had no idea how).

It was a life neither of them had ever thought they’d have or even want to have. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> The song Klaus was singing and which the title for this fic comes from is [The Cult of Dionysus - The Orion Express](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZcqaolcjUI)


End file.
